Strong Field of 10 Going in Azalea

An evenly matched field of 10 3-year-old fillies are entered for Calder's Azalea Breeders' Cup Stakes (gr. III), run over six furlongs on the dirt. The event offers a $250,000 purse, and a position on the Summit of Speed card for its contenders.

Bold World, the 5-2 morning line favorite, has an impressive resume to back up her early odds. The Fortunate Prospect filly has won five of her six starts this year, and all of her victories were in added-money events. She won her last start, the June 8 Ocean Hotel Stakes at Monmouth Park, by 3 1/2 lengths. Ronald Taylor trains Bold World for Hardacre Farm.

The depth of the Azalea field is illustrated by the odds--even stakes winner Ragin T Rex is 12-1. The winner of the Manhattan Beach Stakes is coming from California for the Summit of Speed. She is trained by Warren Stute.

Another runner traveling for the Azalea is Willa On the Move. Trainer Rodney Jenkins sent out filly Willa for a sharp half-mile in 47 4/5 on Monday in her final drill before the race.

"She seems to want to duck in when she's in the stretch," Jenkins said. "But she seemed to be going all right this morning." Jenkins pointed out that he wants to get her ready for more speed since she is coming off a second-place finish in the one-mile Acorn Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont in her last start.

The field for the grade III Azalea Breeders' Cup Stakes, run over six furlongs with a $250,000 for 3-year-old fillies, from the rail out: